Feeding Facepalm

[CrazyDiamond88]

My betta lives with 8 pygmy corys in a cycled 12 gallon tank.
 
The cory I got just a few days ago. They are all getting along fine with each other which is a relief.
 
Anyway, I am trying to work out what/how to feed them, without overfeeding my gluttonous betta, who is currently bumbling around with a hugely bloated belly feeling sorry for himself.
 
The corys seem to be eating algae off the plants in my tank a great deal which is nice to see.
However I've tried to feed them some sinking omnivore wafers, and they just ignore them.
 
However they do disappear. I am thinking that either they eat them when the light is off? Or my betta is eating them. I did see him eat one or two yesterday.
 
Today I put some bloodworms in the tank. They got ignored for the main part, except I saw one of the corys trying to suck one up. 
It didn't seem like he was able to eat it and he just gave up after a bit. 
 
... will my corys eat when the lights are out? Are they nocturnal?
will they only eat scraps off the floor? It does seem like that's what they're doing...
 
Any help would be grand, I am so lost xD

 

[Lillefishy]

Corys will eat at any time but overnight I've found is when they do most of the digging in the substrate.
Pygmys can be picky feeders, ordinary bloodworm is mostly too big for them, you can get frozen mini bloodworm which they can eat better.
Cyclops, bbs they love, pellets I break up for them

 

[CrazyDiamond88]

Thanks Lille
 
What are cyclops and bbs?

 

[Lillefishy]

Cyclops are like a mini daphnia, bbs is baby brine shrimp

 

[CrazyDiamond88]

Ah I see  
 
Will do

 

[CrazyDiamond88]

Also, Kasai is terrible bloated from all the food I accidentally fed him... will he be okay if I just fast him?

 

[DerpPH]

Algae disc or live bloodworms should do. You let the worms sinkl or using one of those tubes you let them sink through the sand.
 
The cories will find the worms hiidden in the substrate or you can try tubifex.
 
And with algae disc the betta wont eat it.. It was designed for algae eaters and bottom feeders.
 
And you can try feeding the pygmy cories a varied diet. e. g. Cucumber, pellets, bloodworms, cyclop, mysid shrimps etc

 

[TwoTankAmin]

You can find out more about Clycop-ezze here. It is pricey but a great fry and small fish food. I have used it to wen angels fry off live bbs as well. Frozen is best but also the more expensive way..
 
http/www.cyclop-eeze.com/